Ireland (north and south) is reportedly
a source of a significant quantity of the wild-caught
bait imported to the UK. Most of this is dug from
east coast estuaries. There are currently no regulations
for the collection of bait, but the subject has
been raised in connection with the management of
marine SACs and SPAs in Ireland. National Parks
and Wildlife, Duchas, the Heritage Service, report
that the harvesting by hand of sea urchins,
winkles and other marine invertebrates within
designated sites has been proposed as a Notifiable
Action. If implemented, this would mean that written
permission would be required from the Minister before
such operations could be undertaken. The Department
of the Marine and Natural Resources has determined
that a foreshore license would be required for mechanical
harvesting of bait worms. No such harvesting currently
takes place. Efforts to control the collection of
sea urchins under marine fisheries legislation have
run into difficulties in the past because Irish
marine legislation does not include echinoderms
within its definitions of marine fish and shellfish.